


Awakening

by afictionado



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-21
Updated: 2014-04-17
Packaged: 2018-01-16 12:04:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1346791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afictionado/pseuds/afictionado
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[Post 3x13 "Witch Hunt"] Regina is desperate to get the memory potion working, so Henry will remember her. Henry has other ideas as to why she's so interested in spending time with him... and why she's constantly sneaking off with Emma.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Difficulties

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She reached out and took Regina’s hand, the same way Regina took hers before the curse was destroyed. She held it within both of her own and pleaded with her, "Trust me when I say, we’re gonna figure this out. We will wake him up, and we’ll figure out who cursed everyone. We just have to stick together."

The first couple of days back in Storybrooke were difficult, in many different ways. Part of it was the double life now rattling around in Emma’s head – thirteen years-worth of memories, and only one of them was real. 

Part of it was the new foe still on the loose somewhere in town, turning its citizens into her winged minions (the Wicked Witch? _Really?_ ) while the others had no recollection of what she even looked like.

Another part still was the sibling on its way, thirty years her junior, while her mother was still so youthful they could pass as sisters. 

But the most difficult part of all this was Henry. Watching him look around the town as though he’d never been there before was downright painful. ‘Introducing’ him to all these people that had known him since birth was tough as well. Even tougher for the citizens of Storybrooke, who now had to dodge questions about how they knew some of Henry’s preferences for certain things, like cocoa toppings and soda flavors.

And to their credit, many of the Storybrooke inhabitants were great at keeping up pretenses. The only one that really struggled, of course, was Regina. 

Perhaps _that_ was the hardest part of all this – watching Regina struggle to keep her composure with Henry nearby. 

Seeing them lock eyes for the first time had been an undeniable gut punch. Emma had acted on instinct and pulled Regina into the back hall for a quick catch-up session. She only gently pushed her toward ‘meeting’ him and made sure she was keeping it together every step of the way. But it was hard.

At the loft, when Regina moved in for a hug and Henry stuck out his hand for a shake, Emma had been unable to help the sad frown. 

_“How was that? You okay?”_ she had asked her quietly when he was out of earshot.

Regina had blinked back the forming tears as quickly as she could, telling her softly, _“It’s a start.”_

During the day, she let Regina show him around town and take him to get ice cream. At night, he would sit at the kitchen island in the loft and recount his time with ‘the mayor,’ telling Emma every time, “I just don’t get why she’s so interested in me.”

And for the first few days in Storybrooke, Emma just shrugged off his concern and said, “I’ve told her a lot about you.”

It was now their third day in town. She and Henry were at the diner, having lunch. They were already late to meet up with Regina, who had offered to show Henry around the wharf for the day.

Henry was watching her wolf down her patty melt with a half-amused smirk. He opened his mouth – probably to ask her just why she was behaving like a caveman – when the bell over the door jingled.

They both turned to spot Regina, and Henry waved at her. “Hi, Mayor Mills.”

Emma watched as that now-familiar look flashed in Regina’s eyes – fleeting pain. Still, she smiled and said smoothly, “Hello, Henry.” 

Then, an all-business look was sent to Emma. “Could I speak with you a moment? Privately?”

Before she could respond, a gloved hand had seized her upper arm and she was being hauled up from her seat, toward the back of the diner. “Ow…”

Whatever was on Regina’s mind was urgent, so she threw Henry a quick look to tell him she’d be right back, and he nodded and turned back to his food.

Regina dropped her arm once they reached the secluded alcove between the diner and the bed-and-breakfast. It was the same place she brought Regina when she first saw Henry.

“What’s going on?” she whispered, watching as the brunette’s eyes drifted toward their son.

“I can’t take this anymore,” Regina hissed. “We need to wake him up. Right now.”

Emma sighed, hands settling on her hips as she dipped her head. She should have known this would happen sooner or later. Regina didn’t really ‘do’ the whole patience thing. “Look… I know this is hard--“

“How?” Regina shot back. “How could you possibly know what this is like?”

She pressed her lips together, trying a different tack. “You and I have been working on this memory potion thing every night since I got back, and we haven’t been able to come up with anything. It’s going to take some time.”

“Well then you need to stop pawning him off on me during the day.”

Emma was slightly taken aback at the choice of words – like spending the day with their son was a huge inconvenience – but she let the offense pass. She knew where Regina’s venom was coming from, just as she knew she had to deflect or diffuse it before it got out of hand. 

She tried yet another path, this one more abrupt as she asked softly, “Do you trust me?”

Success – she caught her off-guard. “What?”

Emma swallowed, taking a step toward the brunette. Proximity had never been a foreign occurrence between them and, in most cases, it served to make a point. So she repeated, “Do you trust me?”

The question seemed to settle in with Regina. Emma could have sworn she saw the gears turning – probably thinking back to their moment outside the loft.

_”It’s gonna be fine. Trust me.”_

Regina met her eyes then. She swallowed whatever pride she had that was telling her to bite back and make a snappy comment. Then she said, “Yes.”

Emma smiled. Another step in the right direction. She reached out and took Regina’s hand, the same way Regina took hers before the curse was destroyed. She held it within both of her own and pleaded with her, “Then _trust me_ when I say, we’re gonna figure this out. We _will_ wake him up, and we’ll figure out who cursed everyone. We just have to stick together,” she raised her brows meaningfully as she added, “and we have to stay strong. Okay?”

Regina searched her eyes for a long moment. Emma watched the skin of her brows furrow and wrinkle, and then relax. Finally, she got a nod and a soft, “Okay,” and almost breathed a sigh of relief.

It worked. She finally figured out a surefire way to handle Regina when she got in these destructive, impatient moods. She considered that a ‘win’ for the day. “Okay,” she repeated, smiling, and released her hand. 

They stood silently for a moment, Regina looking at her hands while Emma placed her own on her hips and glanced at the floor. “Why don’t I send him with Mary Margaret today?”

Regina looked up at her, the tension back in her shoulders.

Emma gave her a half-smile. “I think we could use some more potion-making time. Maybe make this whole thing go a little faster. I can be to your office in fifteen minutes.”

And then she seemed to relax once again. “Thank you,” she told her. It was simple and short, but the weight behind it didn’t go unnoticed.

Emma just nodded and patted her arm. “Sure,” and they turned to head back into the diner.

As they did, she caught just a glimpse of Henry whipping around in his seat, facing his food again. “Hey kid,” she said, sliding into the booth again.

“Hey,” he told her, his eyes on Regina as she brushed past. “Bye, Mayor Mills!” he called.

She turned around in the doorway, looking momentarily surprised he’d spoken to her again, before she covered it with a smile and returned warmly, “Goodbye, Henry.”

They both watched her go, and Emma turned back to her son to find him grinning at her. She couldn’t help the chuckle. “What?”

Henry just shrugged and chirped, “Nothing!” as he went back to his food. He shrugged again, saying to his French fries, “I just… I get it now.”

“You get what?”

He looked up, tilting his head. “Why she’s so interested in me.” Shaking his head, he told her, “It’s not me. It’s _you._ ”

Emma stared at her son, narrowing her eyes in confusion. “What do you mean?”

This time, he just smiled and took one last bite of his hamburger. “Nevermind.”

“Henry…”

“Don’t worry about it, Mom.”

Emma sighed, glancing at the clock. She supposed further questioning would have to wait.

She had to go meet up with Regina.

 

**TBC**


	2. Oddities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “If we can’t get this potion just right, Henry will have no idea he’s even related to the little goblin she’s pushing out.”

*****

She managed to get to City Hall less than five minutes after she promised Regina and yet she still got a flat, “You’re late,” from the brunette.

“I know,” she huffed, shucking her jacket and hanging it up. “I had to get Henry back to the loft.”

Not to mention she had to dodge his questioning about where she kept going all the time. And, she had to ignore the grin he gave her when she said she was meeting up with a friend.

“He’s helping Mary Margaret set up a nursery.”

Regina pursed her lips, already seated at the table within her office working on a new potion. “She could go any day now,” she said.

“Yeah.” Furrowing her brows, she asked the brunette, “That’s weird, right?”

“What is? Snow’s pregnancy?” She sniffed. “Hardly. I’m surprised they didn’t start popping out new saviors as soon as the first curse broke.”

Emma rolled her eyes. “No, not that.” But leave it to Regina…

She sat down across the table from her and watched as she extracted a dark liquid from a vial. “I mean… I’m going to have a little brother or sister who’s thirty years younger than me. Henry’s aunt or uncle will be younger than him.”

Without raising her head, Regina lifted her eyes and quirked a brow. “After everything we’ve seen, after all the other twisted branches of this family tree have been uncovered… _that’s_ what you find odd?”

Emma smirked. “I guess when you put it that way…”

“Besides,” Regina sighed. “If we can’t get this potion just right, Henry will have no idea he’s even related to the little goblin she’s pushing out.” Lifting her head then, she asked impatiently, “Now can we get to work, please?”

Emma raised her brows, partly glad to see that Regina hadn’t _completely_ gone soft. She had to admit she sometimes enjoyed her attitude. 

“Yeah, we can get to work. What do you want me to do?”

 

*****

A good few hours later, they were no closer to finding just the right combination of ingredients. They were also starting to run low on beakers and vials with how many Regina had flung against the wall in frustration.

“Seriously, slow down with that,” Emma chided her. “I don’t know how many more of these we can find.”

“Oh please, the school has plenty,” she snipped, waving dismissively as she paced the length of the table.

She raised her eyebrows. “You’re saying when we run out, we’re gonna steal from the school?”

Regina swept a hand toward her, reasoning, “You’re the sheriff.”

“Am I?”

The question halted her pacing, and Regina turned to her with her hands on her hips. “What?”

Emma shrugged. “I just mean… I’ve only been here three days.”

“You’re not staying?”

She tilted her head, taking in Regina’s tone of voice. It was soft, almost… sad. She was probably concerned about salvaging her relationship with Henry. So she assured her, “Of course we’re staying, but…”

“But what?”

There were so many ‘buts’ in this scenario. ‘But’ Henry would question why his mother was suddenly appointed sheriff. ‘But’ this new enemy, whoever they were, could start targeting her… and maybe Henry as well. And then there was the ‘but’ that she voiced. “But isn’t David the sheriff right now?”

Regina rolled her eyes. “He’s a stand-in. He’s always just a stand-in. He was a stand-in prince, and now he’s a stand-in sheriff.”

Emma decided not to question the past – they probably didn’t have enough time – and instead asked Regina tentatively, “Do you… _want_ me to be the sheriff again?”

Regina shrugged, as if the answer were obvious. “Of course. You were before. And,” she gestured to her once more, “you said it yourself: we need to stick together. The mayor and the sheriff work closely together.”

At this, she smirked. “Getting kinda sick of David?”

“Ugh.” Regina threw her head back dramatically. “He hasn’t been getting anything done.”

“Well…” she tilted her head. “In his defense, neither have you.”

“Right, because I needed _you_.” Shrugging, she said, “Perhaps you were right, in Neverland, when you said our best chance is together. If I keep going with that idiot shepherd at my side, nothing will ever get done. Besides, I trust you.”

Emma decided to mark the comment internally as another ‘win’ – Regina admitting it aloud without being asked or coerced. “If you want me back, Regina, I’ll come back. I’ll be the sheriff.” Before Regina could look _too_ delighted at being rid of David, she held up a finger and added, “On one condition: David is my deputy.”

Regina made sure she heard the huff of disgust, but ultimately, she gave in. “Fine,” she grumbled. “But he stays out of the way when you and I need to work on…” she gestured around them at the spell books and ingredients, “this stuff.”

“Agreed.”

“Now,” Regina sighed, flipping her hair out of her eyes. “We just need to break the news to David’s _current_ deputy.”

Emma frowned. “Who’s his current deputy?”

**

The question hung in the air for the entire ride to the sheriff’s station. It was so unlike Regina to just suddenly clam up. Anytime Emma attempted to repeat the question, Regina’s cheeks turned slightly pink and she changed the subject.

When they arrived, not much had changed. The back of the station still boasted just two jail cells – one of which was occupied by a surlier-than-usual Leroy. Emma gave him a nod as they came in and he rolled his eyes. Clearly another drunk-and-disorderly bust, from which he’d be released later that night. 

“Emma?” David stepped out of the sheriff’s office, looking pleased to see her. “What are you doing here?”

Emma breathed a smile and accepted the kiss on the forehead. “Just… stopping in to say hi.” She hoped he wouldn’t be too terribly hurt.

“There are going to be some minor… organizational changes around here, Charming.” Regina gave him a catlike smile, and Emma knew too well what that smile meant. 

Apparently Regina wanted to rip the bandage off as quickly and painfully as possible. Though she should have expected no less.

David glanced between the two of them. “Will Emma be joining us again?” he asked, looking to his daughter.

Emma gave him a smile, though it quickly turned into a cringe as Regina once again barreled through the potentially delicate situation.

“Actually, she’ll be leading you. I’ve decided to reinstate her as sheriff.”

Emma glanced at her counterpart, watching her lift her chin just slightly – and she knew that look well too. She was daring David to challenge her.

But David, bless him, knew her well enough not to take the bait. Instead, he smiled. “Well I think that’s a wonderful idea, Regina. We can get her up to speed much more quickly.”

“Well.” Regina faltered momentarily, clearly prepared for (and maybe even wanting) an argument. “Right.”

Emma hid her smirk by looking around the ‘bullpen’ area, way too amused by the reprisal of ‘old Regina.’ She turned to her father. “So, uh… I’d like to keep you on as my deputy.”

He smiled. “I’d like that.” But the smile faded quickly as he turned to Regina. “But, I doubt you’d be able to afford all three of us. What about—“

“I’ll handle him,” Regina sighed, and she looked much less gleeful about letting whoever this deputy was go.

“Regina?”

A fourth voice joined them, with a soft accent. They turned to see a tall man with an athlete’s build, holding a bag from the diner.

“Those the sandwiches?” David asked him.

“Yeah.” The man smiled at Regina, then turned to his partner. “Sorry, mate. Bit backed up at the diner today. Here you go.”

“Thanks.” To Emma, he sighed, “Lunchtime.”

“Right.” But Emma was a bit too interested in how this guy was looking at the mayor.

“Regina, to what do we owe the pleasure of your company today?”

Regina rolled her eyes, but Emma was surprised to see the smile sneaking its way across her lips. “Would you mind if I steal you for a moment?” she asked the man.

He gave her a grin. “I wouldn’t exactly complain.”

At that, Regina flushed bright red and looked a mix of annoyed and embarrassed. She grabbed the man by the forearm and dragged him down the hall.

Emma watched them go, amusement and confusion battling for control. She turned to David. “Is that your deputy?”

“Yeah. He’s really been a lot of help around here.”

“Who is he?”

David folded his arms, the two of them now watching Regina and the man converse in the back hallway. “Well here, he’s been going by ‘Rob.’ But in our land, he went by Robin.”

Two different images flashed through Emma’s mind in that moment – both of them involving tights. “Robin,” she repeated, dubiously. She side-eyed her father. “As in… ‘Hood’ or, Batman’s sidekick?”

He smirked at her. “Robin Hood.” After a beat, he nudged her and added, “Batman’s a fictional character.”

Chuckling, she whacked his arm playfully. “Yeah and for almost thirty years, I thought all you guys were too!”

“Fair enough,” he chuckled back.

“So…” Her attention turned once more to Regina and this ‘Rob’ guy. “How does he know Regina?”

She watched her father shrug beside her, half expecting him to say he didn’t really know. He wasn’t exactly a gossip.

What he _did_ say, she never would have expected.

“They’re sort of dating.”

 

**TBC**


	3. Insanities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was insane. Standing here speculating about Regina and this… guy. Listening to her father butcher a movie title in a way only a father could. This entire conversation was insane, and… sorta pointless. Maybe if she made one... “The point is, I’m not jealous of anybody.”

*****

“Whoa, wait a minute.” Emma wheeled around to face her father, brows knit together in confusion. “…What?”

David just shrugged. “What?”

“Robin Hood… _the_ Robin Hood… is Regina’s _boyfriend_?” It sounded so weird, yet she couldn’t figure out why.

“Well…” Another shrug and a noncommittal facial shrug later, David told her, “I don’t know if ‘boyfriend’ is the correct term, but… they’ve been seeing each other.” Then, as if realizing he was gossiping, David made a face at himself and said, “I don’t know, go ask your mother. Or better yet, ask Regina.”

Emma scoffed. “Right, because you know Regina and I love talking about boys together. We also paint each other’s nails and have pillow fights.”

He rolled his eyes. “You were the one that asked. Are you jealous?”

Her heart skipped a beat and without her better judgment, she flipped into defensive mode. “Why would I be jealous of Robin Hood? It’s not like Regina and I are married to each other! Or even divorced. I mean, we have Henry, but—“

“Emma…”

She looked up to see her father’s smirk. “What?”

“I meant, maybe you’re a bit jealous of Regina? I know you’re still missing Neal, and—“

“No way, no.” She waved that idea away immediately. Being jealous was just… silly. And she wasn’t jealous of Regina for having someone. There was something else gnawing at her, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. “That has nothing to do with it.” After a beat, she side-eyed him. “And I’m not jealous of Robin, either.”

“If you say so, but let’s not forget that you once alluded to _me_ being attracted to Hook.”

Emma had to smirk right back at that. “Okay, well… it’s not my fault you guys give off a ‘Brokeback Mountain’ vibe sometimes.”

“We do not give off a… what’s a ‘Backbreak Mountain’?”

“Nevermind,” she chuckled, slapping a hand over her eyes. This was insane. Standing here speculating about Regina and this… guy. Listening to her father butcher a movie title in a way only a father could. This entire conversation was insane, and… sorta pointless. Maybe if she made one... “The point is, I’m not jealous of anybody.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“I never said there was a problem! I just…” After a moment she huffed again, frustrated.

By that time, Regina and Robin (or Rob or whoever he was currently) had begun making their way back. Regina raised her brows to Emma and asked, “Is there a problem?”

She plastered on a smile. “No problem. Just… talking.”

Regina eyed her strangely, but nodded nonetheless. She grabbed her arm and began steering her toward the door. “Let’s go, then.”

“Regina.”

They spun to find Robin looking at Regina hopefully, and David looking at him.

“Will I see you this evening?”

Emma turned to her counterpart to find her cheeks flaring pink once more – though if it was annoyance or embarrassment, she couldn’t tell.

To Robin, Regina ducked her head just slightly and answered him in a simple, clipped tone, “Perhaps.” 

Emma then found herself practically dragged out of the sheriff’s station.

“So I trust your father got you up to speed a bit?”

“Yeah.” She couldn’t resist the opportunity Regina had just dumped in her lap. “He told me all about how you’re dating Robin Hood.”

“What?!” Regina whirled around, eyes ablaze. “How dare he!” She began stomping toward the car, her footsteps short and quick as she continued, “The nature of my relationship with him – if it can even be called as much – is my business and mine alone!”

“Well…” Emma cringed slightly, unaware that one innocent comment would be akin to poking a sleeping grizzly. “And mine, a little bit.”

Regina stopped her speed-walk of fury at the passenger side of the Bug. “Excuse me?”

Emma shrugged, opening the car door. “It’s a little bit my business too, you know.”

“How’s that?”

Emma climbed in and shut the door, noticing how Regina stayed outside the car – though whether it was out of defiance or confusion, she had no idea. So she waited until the former queen gave up and slid in on the passenger side.

“I mean because of Henry. Because we share him.”

Regina rolled her eyes, reaching for the seatbelt. “Well first of all, Henry is none the wiser about that part.”

Sticking the key in the ignition, Emma let the Bug roar to life and then pulled out of her space, heading back to the Regina’s office. “Okay… second of all?”

“Second of all,” she went on, shooting her a look, “I don’t recall you consulting me when you decided to put your lips on that pirate. Or drag that mangy _Baelfire_ back into everyone’s lives…”

Emma felt her hands tightening on the wheel, but Regina wasn’t finished.

“Nor do I recall you including me in your decision to become engaged to a flying monkey.”

Emma felt her jaw grow slack at that. “How-“

“Henry told me.” Regina frowned down at her lap. “The other day, when we were having ice cream in the park.” Glancing up, she told her, “So I don’t know that you’re in a position to say what I should or shouldn’t run by you when it comes to my romantic life.”

How in the hell was this even reality right now? Gossiping at the station with David was one thing. Arguing with Regina like a newly-divorced couple was another entirely.

“Fine, I’ll back off,” she finally conceded. “But when we wake Henry up, you’re going to have to figure out a way to tell him—“

“Tell him what? There will be nothing to tell him, because when he finally remembers, it will be just him and me like it should be.”

Emma pulled up in front of Storybrooke City Hall and threw the car in park, letting it idle. “So as soon as Henry remembers you, you’re gonna drop this guy?”

“No! I don’t know, maybe.” Regina ducked her head again, stuffing a slice of hair behind her ear, and Emma thought it may have been a nervous tic. “I don’t know that there’s anything to drop, necessarily.” Heaving a sigh, she looked up. “I remember saying goodbye to you two and tearing up the curse as you drove past the town line. I remember the clouds rolling over us to take us back. Then the next thing I remembered was coming to in that man’s arms right near the town line, with his son standing between us clutching my legs.”

Emma raised her brows. “He has a son?”

At that, Regina smiled. It was warm, and reminded her of the way she would smile whenever Henry’s name was mentioned. She nodded and said, “Roland. He’s a wonderful, bright little boy.” Then, the smile faded as she said softly to her lap, “But he’s not Henry.”

Emma gave her a nudge. “Of course he’s not Henry. But… clearly you and this Robin Hood guy must have something, right?”

Regina shrugged. “Perhaps. But who’s to say? What if we were standing near each other when the new curse hit, and just instinctively grabbed on? Should I tether my life to him because of coincidence?”

She shook her head, telling Regina, “No you shouldn’t, but you also shouldn’t shrug something off as coincidence that might have actually meant something to you – to both of you. Hell, maybe to Roland too!”

“I know. I just…” Regina huffed again, looking out the window at the main doors of City Hall.

The rest of the sentence was evident, and Emma nodded, watching the brunette. “You don’t know what you don’t know,” she offered.

“Precisely.”

When Regina unbuckled her belt, Emma assumed the conversation to be over. Laying her foot on the brake, she took the car out of park and watched as Regina climbed out. “Well listen, we’ll figure out all the stuff you don’t know. Okay? If you want us to start working overnights to get this memory potion figured out, then that’s what we’ll do.”

Regina leaned down to the window, smiling. “Thank you.” She then nodded down the main road. “You’d best get back to Henry.”

“Right,” she sighed. “Hopefully Mary Margaret hasn’t driven him _too_ nuts.”

She spotted another smile on Regina’s lips, this one pursing them just slightly. After a beat, she said, “I will reserve the comment I was going to make.”

Emma chuckled, “Don’t worry, Regina I know you – I know how to fill in the blanks.”

With that, she then gave the brunette a wave and drove off toward the loft, not noticing Regina lingering outside and watching her go.

 

*****

Back at the loft, she found Henry playing one of his handheld games while Mary Margaret did the dishes.

“Emma!” she was greeted with a bright smile. “How was your day?”

Emma threw a glance at her son before hanging up her jacket. “It was, uh… informative! In many different ways.” Going over to the kitchen island, she leaned her arms on it. “How about you guys?”

“We got the nursery taken care of! Everything’s ready for the baby.” 

Emma eyed her mother warily. She sounded just a little bit too chipper… like something was wrong but she didn’t want to acknowledge it. “O… kay…”

“And Henry had an interesting theory as to why you guys are here!” she exclaimed, smile stretched tight across her elfin face. 

She raised her brows, as if to ask ‘ _Is that why you’re being weird?_ ’ and then turned to her son. “Really.”

Henry looked up from his game and nodded, giving a one-shouldered shrug a moment later. “It’s kinda obvious, isn’t it?”

“What is?”

“We’re here so you can get back together with Regina.”

 

**TBC**


	4. Falsities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You know, when Walsh wanted to win me over, he bought me a video game.”

For the second time that day, Emma found herself completely floored by a simple comment. She didn’t even know how to respond. 

Neither did Mary Margaret, clearly, who was still wearing a face-splitting grin. “Isn’t that just terribly interesting, how he thinks that?” Her eyes glittered but there was no mirth there. Just a losing battle to cling to her sanity. She was clutching one of the plates she was drying so tightly Emma thought she might be able to snap it in half.

Widening her eyes just slightly, she dropped her voice so Henry wouldn’t hear, telling her mother, “Alright, breathe.”

Mary Margaret did as she was told, nodding way too emphatically as she blew out a long breath, resuming drying the dishes. 

Emma shook her head just barely, as if shaking off whatever had just happened with her mother. She temporarily chalked it up to hormones and a complicated past. 

“Second of all…” She then turned on her heel and headed over to where Henry was seated, playing his game. She waited until she had his attention before she asked, “Henry, why do you think I’m dating the mayor?”

Wincing, he asked again, “Kinda obvious, isn’t it?”

Emma sighed, scrubbing her hands over her face. “Kid…” She sat down on the coffee table across from him, elbows on her thighs as she leaned forward. “You keep saying that, but you’re not giving me any examples to back it up!”

Henry set aside his game then and she recognized the smirk he gave her – he was accepting her challenge. “Alright…” He said, slumping against the wicker loveseat and folding his arms across his chest. “First, you guys are always sneaking off to talk ‘in private.’”

Emma swallowed, not having thought of how that might look to someone unaware of her… connection… with Regina. “Well…”

“And then there’s how interested she’s been in me, wanting to get to know me.”

She took a deep breath and sighed it out, turning briefly over her shoulder to Mary Margaret. It was pretty obvious she was overhearing all of this, as her scrubbing on one of the plates started to become violent.

But Henry wasn’t done yet. “You all of a sudden dumped Walsh and brought me back here.”

Emma opened her mouth to remind him that it was for a case, but he beat her to it.

“And I know it’s not for a case. Besides… when I told the mayor you were almost engaged, she looked really sad.”

That got her to pause. “She did?”

He nodded. “And, yesterday when we went to the diner together, she gave me this.” And from behind one of the throw pillows, he produced an all-too-familiar book with ‘Once Upon a Time’ embossed in gold across the leather front cover.

“The book…” Emma murmured without thinking.

He raised his eyebrows. “You’ve seen this book before?”

“Yeah, it—.” She stopped herself, realizing that she’d have to think up a pretty quick lie. “It was mine once.”

And when Henry smiled, she fought not to grimace – she obviously wasn’t so great at the quick little lies. “Then… why did _she_ have it?”

“It’s complicated,” she huffed.

He grinned. “You know, when Walsh wanted to win me over, he bought me a video game.”

There was suddenly a ceramic-on-porcelain clanging that startled them both. They looked over to find Mary Margaret with red cheeks, looking down into the sink. She glanced up at them. “I-I… dropped it…” she trailed off, pointing into the sink.

Emma just nodded while Henry tilted his head at her curiously. He looked at her as if to ask what her deal was, but Emma didn’t address it.

“Look, Henry… Regina and I, we—“

“It’s okay,” he told her, reaching forward and covering her hand. 

The motion took her by surprise. “Huh?”

“It’s okay, really. I mean… I get it. You guys must have had a past together.”

“We, uh… we did.” _Think up another lie, Emma_ … “We were roommates.”

That apparently surprised her son. Or confused him. She wasn’t sure which would do less damage. “You were? When? I thought you went to jail when you were 18, and then you had me and got out.”

“I-I did, yeah. It was, uh… it was after I had you. And I was released.” She looked down at her hands as her palms rubbed together in the space between her knees. She figured focusing on something other than her son’s face would make this whole lying thing easier. “It was right after I was released, actually. I moved us here for a while, but I, uh… I didn’t have any money. So, I needed a roommate.”

“So you lived with the mayor?”

“Well, she wasn’t the mayor then. She was just as poor as I was. And, she didn’t mind that I had a kid along with me.” _Perfect way to explain why…_ “That’s why she’s so interested in you. She, uh, remembers you as a baby and can’t believe how grown up you are!”

“Oh.” Henry seemed to think to himself for a moment, before he looked up with a furrowed brow. “Then why didn’t she say anything about that?”

Emma shrugged, hoping she didn’t look as sad as she felt, having to lie to him so terribly. “She probably knows you were way too young to remember her. But, she really liked you. She helped me out a lot with you.”

“Really?” He smiled.

She smiled back and echoed, “Really. She was kinda like your second mom.” She threw a glance up at Mary Margaret, the two of them exchanging a solemn frown. 

Henry took no notice. “Well… cool!” He smiled wide. “I’ll have to ask her to tell me some stories from back then.”

 _Oh, shit._ She broke gaze with her mother, whose eyes widened just slightly at Henry’s last comment. Emma absent-mindedly felt for her phone. “Yeah. I bet she’d love to tell you.”

“Can I see her tomorrow?”

She decided to seize the opportunity. “You know? I think that’s a great idea. I’ll give her a call.”

Just as she hit the speed dial button, Mary Margaret piped up, “Actually, Emma? Before you do that I could use your help with the dishes.”

Emma gave her a look, furrowing her brows. “Okay…?”

Her mother smiled, a bit too sweetly. “It’s a little hard for me to put these pans in the bottom cupboards.”

“Oh.”

She didn’t buy it, but went over anyway. And as she took the few pans from her mother and bent to put them away, Mary Margaret leaned down and whispered, “Are you sure this is such a great idea?”

Emma shrugged, avoiding eye contact so Mary Margaret wouldn’t see right through her. She wasn’t at all sure it was a good idea. But she had to do _something_. If for nothing else than to get Henry off of this ‘you guys must have dated’ track he was on. “Why not?” she whispered back. “Regina will get to spend more time with him, and then maybe David and I can track down the witch.”

“Listen, Emma…” She leaned down a bit further, making a face when her protruding belly got in the way. She rubbed it unconsciously as she told her, “I’m just concerned.”

“About what? Regina knows what she can and can’t say around Henry.”

“That’s just it. I feel like… this might hurt her. She’s been hurt a lot already.”

And though she didn’t elaborate, Emma knew she must have had a few specific examples in mind. So she frowned up at her mother sympathetically. And then she whispered, “Well if you have any other ideas, I’m open to them. Seriously. Because I don’t know what else to do here.”

Mary Margaret frowned. “Just… be careful. Henry isn’t the only one who could get hurt by this charade.”

She nodded back, closing the cupboard and standing up. Mary Margaret thanked her, maybe a little too loud and conspicuously, for helping put the pans away. Emma gave her a tense little smile and then excused herself.

She shut the door softly as she stepped out into the hallway, again hitting the speed dial for Regina. She knew this would be an unusual conversation, but she hoped Regina would take it in stride.

Unfortunately, she knew Regina better than that.

 

**TBC**


	5. Subtleties

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Though it was made now of mostly plastic and some metal, the ghost of the wooden castle still remained. Emma remembered just getting to know her son sitting in that castle. Just as she remembered Regina’s attempts to sabotage that burgeoning relationship, as well as her destruction of that castle.
> 
> The two of them looked at one another, a silent, subtle conversation exchanged within the span of a few seconds. And from it seemed to come the same feeling, each woman expressing it with a smile: _Look how far we’ve come._

*****

“So you mean to tell me that our son believes you and I were lovers?”

Emma glared at the look of amusement on Regina’s face, her lips pursed around a smirk. “You seem way too happy about this.”

“Well, I should think you’d find it flattering!” She quirked a brow, bringing her coffee cup to her lips. “It would certainly be a step up for you. For me, I think it would be more a… lateral move, than anything else.”

Her glare turned sharper. “ _Regardless,_ ” she emphasized, wanting Regina off her back, “I had to tell him something that would explain how well we know each other.”

“Which is when you concocted the ‘roommates’ scenario.” Tossing her hair, Regina glanced through the slats of the blinds at the diner, gazing out the window. Her elbows were braced on the table, each hand holding her mug – one on the handle and the other cupping the side. She shook her head and feigned a shiver. “I almost shudder to think what you’d be like as a roommate.”

Emma was all set to glare again, but the sudden warm smile Regina sent her way melted the frustration. She couldn’t help but chuckle a little. “A real ‘Odd Couple,’ I’d bet. I’m not exactly tidy.”

“Mm, I can imagine.” 

“I mean, the only reason I _was_ tidy for the last year is because you planted some stuff in my head on how to be an actual mom.”

Regina took another sip of coffee and set the mug down, talking to it rather than Emma as she said quietly, “Thank you.”

Emma raised her eyebrows and sat back against the booth. The gratitude was surprise enough – the sincerity and softness in Regina’s tone was much more surprising. “For what?”

Brown eyes lifted to meet hers. “For this past year. I know firsthand it’s not easy to be a single parent. And it seems you did a remarkable job with Henry.”

“Well…” Emma tilted her head, swallowing. They really hadn’t discussed this since she’d been back. “I just did my best. If I did something remarkable, it was just because you gave me everything I needed.”

Regina smiled, almost shyly, and glanced down at her lap. “I don’t know, I—“

“Regina.” Emma laid her hand over Regina’s, resting atop the table. It gained the brunette’s gaze and she gave her a friendly smile, trying to get her point across. “I mean it. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

Regina just watched her a moment, and Emma knew she was letting the sentiment sink in. After a moment, Regina gave her a smile – much like she did in her office just a few days ago – and she turned her hand over, gripping Emma’s.

Emma gave her hand a squeeze, smile bright on her lips. 

The bell over the door tinkled then, and in came Henry, smiling at them. Emma dropped the brunette’s hand and slid over in the booth, greeting her son. “Hey kid.”

“Mom, hey.” He slid in next to her and smiled at Regina. “Madam Mayor.”

Regina smiled, but Emma didn’t miss the pain in her eyes. “You know, Henry, you don’t have to use formality with me. You can call me Regina.”

“I can?” He smiled. “Okay. Thanks, Regina.”

She smiled back at him, and when he leaned away to grab for a menu, she exchanged a quick glance with Emma. The smile was still there, but the brief glimmer of pain in her eyes was evident.

Emma thought back to her conversation with Mary Margaret the day before, about the possibility of Regina getting hurt again, and her stomach tumbled as second thoughts crept in.

Maybe she shouldn’t have come up with the ‘we were roommates’ thing. Especially if being near Henry a lot would end up being more painful for Regina. She had to remember that Regina was already grappling with missing a year of her life. And she’d already nudged her toward spending time with Henry. She didn’t want to push her over the edge.

“So.” Henry, now with his menu, sat back against the booth and flipped immediately to the list of hamburgers. Cocking his head, he glanced up at Regina with a smile. “My mom says you guys were roommates.”

Emma shifted in her seat, drawing in a slow breath as quietly as she could as she flicked her eyes up to Regina, hoping this wouldn’t get too awkward or unbelievable.

Regina faltered only momentarily before she smiled. “Yes, we were. Seems like a lifetime ago, doesn’t it Emma?”

“Mm-hmm.” She nodded, thinking to herself, _Oh God Henry, just don’t mention the dating thing please…_

“So how long did you guys live together?”

They looked up at one another, Emma keeping her mouth closed so the ‘cell mates’ incident with Mary Margaret didn’t repeat itself. She quirked her brows subtly to tell Regina to take the lead.

Regina’s nod back was just as subtle. She turned to Henry and said, “Just a couple years.” A sad smile took over her face as she added, “Not quite long enough for you to remember me. Though I certainly remember you.”

Emma frowned to herself, a pang hitting her. And she had an inexplicable urge to squeeze the brunette’s hand again, but didn’t want to raise any eyebrows.

“Really?” Henry smiled, leaning forward in interest. “Cool. Maybe you could tell me some stories sometime.”

“I’d love to.”

“Regina actually offered to show you around a bit more, if you’re up for it.”

“There’s still another park or two that you haven’t seen – they’re very scenic,” Regina chimed in.

“Sure, but…” He glanced to Emma. “Do you really need to do ‘case’ stuff now?”

She didn’t miss how he made air quotes around the word ‘case.’ So she smiled. “Why?”

“I kinda thought maybe the three of us could do something together.”

Regina and Emma exchanged another glance, further subtleties exchanged silently. Then, Emma nodded. “That actually sounds like fun. Regina?”

She nodded back. “Count me in.”

“Great!” Henry looked pleased. To Regina, he said, “My mom told me that for awhile, you were kinda like a second mom to me.”

Another brief glimmer of hurt crossed Regina’s features, but she clearly had perfected her mask of pretenses over the years – before Henry could notice, the hurt was wiped away with a smile.

“She did, huh?”

“Yeah. So,” he shrugged, “I kinda thought it might be nice to spend the day with both of my ‘moms.’”

Emma glimpsed at the brunette, making sure she was okay, before she turned to her son and ruffled his hair. “Then you’ve got yourself a date.”

 

*****

As Regina paid their bill with Henry and Ruby up at the counter, Emma made a quick call to David to let him know there had been a change in plans. Any ideas they had about tracking down the witch’s whereabouts with Hook would have to wait until later.

She was just hanging up when Regina and Henry joined her at the booth again, both of them standing while she grabbed for her scarf and slid out. “Ready?” she asked.

Henry excitedly agreed and headed out the door before them. They hung back momentarily and Emma snagged her counterpart’s arm. “Hey.”

Regina spun to face her.

Emma tilted her head. “I know this isn’t gonna be easy. So… if we need to cut things short… if you’re feeling uncomfortable…”

Regina flashed her another warm smile, clearly not used to having someone consider her feelings. “You’ll know.”

“Good.”

**

Rather than piling into the Bug, the three of them walked to the park. Henry predictably had a round of questions lined up for Regina. And with each one, Emma grew more and more wary of Regina’s emotional state.

But that mask of pretense never slipped. She answered each one with grace and – for certain questions – a touch of humor. Any sadness that lingered remained beneath the surface, and when Henry wasn’t looking, Emma would occasionally touch Regina’s arm or back supportively.

Surprisingly, she received a touched smile each time.

When they reached the playground, she and Regina stopped. The past seemed to catch up with them both at the same time. 

Though it was made now of mostly plastic and some metal, the ghost of the wooden castle still remained. Emma remembered just getting to know her son sitting in that castle. Just as she remembered Regina’s attempts to sabotage that burgeoning relationship, as well as her destruction of that castle.

The two of them looked at one another, a silent, subtle conversation exchanged within the span of a few seconds. And from it seemed to come the same feeling, each woman expressing it with a smile: _Look how far we’ve come._

“Uhh, guys?”

Their attention diverted when Henry stepped in front of them, squinting at them in confusion.

“Everything okay?”

Regina was first to speak. “Yes. Of course, Henry. Why do you ask?”

“You two look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“We… sorta have.” Emma looked to her son, then gestured to the playground. “You, uh… you used to play here.”

He raised his brows. “Really?”

Regina nodded, keeping up their façade. “For a very short while, yes. We used to bring you here. The playground looked much different then.”

“So I must not have been much younger than him, huh?” He pointed toward the slide, at the curly-haired toddler sliding down with a smile.

Though Emma hadn’t seen him before, she certainly recognized the man that caught him at the bottom. Robin Hood. Or Rob, or… well, she supposed it didn’t matter.

What mattered was Regina’s smile, as she crossed the street to talk to them. What mattered was the way Regina so gracefully accepted Robin’s chaste kiss on her cheek.

And what mattered _most_ , though Emma didn’t realize it at the time, was the subtle way her stomach turned at the sight.

 

**TBC**


End file.
